Nut cracking apparatus

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for cracking nuts, without crushing the kernels thereof, having a fixed plate with a cutting blade and a rotatable wheel adjacent the plate and having radially arranged cutting blades cooperable with the blade of the plate, the side of the wheel adjacent the plate being in the shape of a shallow frustum, so that the space between the plate and the wheel comprises an operating compartment or chamber. The nuts are fed to the chamber one at a time and, at the bottom of this chamber, the nuts are cracked between the blade of the plate and one of the blades of the wheel. The nuts are cut and twisted by the blades so that the kernels are freed whole and the shells and kernels fall from the operating chamber to a receptacle therefor.

United States Patent 7 Shaw [54] NUT CRACKING APPARATUS [21] Appl. No.129,821

52 us. Cl ..l46/l1 424,992 9/1947 ltaly ..146/11 [451 May 16, 1972Primary Examiner-Willie G. Abercrombie Attorney-J. Carroll Baisch 1Ansmcr Apparatus for cracking nuts, without crushing the kernelsthereof, having a fixed plate with a cutting blade and a rotatable wheeladjacent the plate and having radially arranged cutting bladescooperable with the blade of the plate, the side of the wheel adjacentthe plate being in the shape of a shallow frustum, so that the spacebetween the plate and the wheel comprises an operating compartment orchamber. The nuts are fed to the chamber one at a time and, at thebottom of this chamber, the nuts are cracked between the blade of theplate and one of the blades of the wheel. The nuts are cut and twistedby the blades so that the kernels are freed whole and the shells andkernels fall from the operating chamber to a receptacle therefor.

1 1 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures Patented May 16, 1972 3,662,799

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIIIIII 1 INVENTOR. 2/ 6 '4'4 6 f1 NUT CRACKINGAPPARATUS BACKGROUND or THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention Theinvention relates generally to a'machine or apparatus for cracking theshells of nuts and relates more particularly to apparatus for masscracking of nuts without crushing or breaking the meat of the nuts.

Description of the Prior Art Various types of nut cracking apparatushave been proposed but these operate on'theprinciple of crushing theshells. Such crushing of the shells tends to also crush or break up thekernels of the nuts. The commercial value of broken or crushed nutkernels is greatly reduced, top prices being paid for whole nut kernels.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises a stationaryplate having a sharp cutting blade projecting somewhat from the face ofthe plate. Next to the plate'isa rotatable wheel having a shallowfrustum-shaped side facing the plate and adjacent thereto. The diameterof the wheel is approximately twice the height of the plate and thewheel has a plurality of sharp radial blades adapted to cooperate withthe blade of the plate in cracking nuts.

The space between the wheel and the plate comprises an operating chamberthat narrows toward the bottom. Shells and nut kernels drop into areceptacle after the nuts have been cracked, the blades cooperating tocrack and twist the nuts to effectively crack the shells withoutcrushing or breaking the kernels.

A sprocket-like feeder wheel feeds nuts one at a time from a hopper intothe operating chamber, at the lower end of which the nuts are cracked.

Since the operating chamber narrows toward the lower end, the apparatusautomatically handles, within predetermined limits, nuts of varioussizes so that it is not necessary to size or sort the nuts prior toputting'them in the hopper of the apparatus.

The invention is,- also, very effective in cracking twins and/or odd orirregularly shaped nuts which often clog up grader apparatus. The'present apparatus takes care of such nuts without their beingpreviously 'graded,thereby eliminating the problem.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention are furthersufficiently referred to in connection with'the following detaileddescription of the accompanying drawings which represent one embodiment.After considering this example skilled persons will understand thatmanyvariations may be made without departing from the principlesdisclosed and I contemplate the employment of any structures,arrangements or modes of operation that are properly within the scope ofthe appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS broken away showing interiorconstruction; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to .the drawings,there is shown apparatus embodying the invention and comprising a standhaving a top, in-

dicated generally at 10, and castors 14.

The top comprises angle irons or members 16 and 18, to which the upperends of the legs are secured by any suitable means such as, for example,welding or the like. The angle member 16 is at the front and the anglemember 18 is at the back, said angle members having the upstanding parts16a and 18a, respectively at the inner sides in parallel relationship toeach other and spaced apart.

A fixed or stationary plate 20, in the space 21 between said anglemembers, is secured to one of the angle members, said plate being shownassumed to the inner side of the part 16a of thefront angle member bymeans of screws or bolts 22. Other suitable securing means may, ofcourse, be used. Plate 20 has a vertical blade 24 which is disposed in adovetail vertical groove 26, secured in said groove by means of awedgeshaped key 28, or by any other suitable means. Blade 24 has a freeedge portion that extends beyond the inner face 30 of the plate'20, saidfree edge portion of the blade being sharpwith the sharp edge at thetop. and the bevel 34 inclined from the sharp edge 32 and toward oneside, although, as shown in FIG. 6, it is inclined downwardly toward theface 30 of the plate 20.

There is a horizontal shaft 38 having its ends operably carried by theupstanding parts 16a and 18a of the angle members 16 and 18,respectively. A wheel 40 is rotatably mounted on shaft 38. The diameterof the wheel is approximately twice the height of the plate20 and thelower part of the wheel is disposed in the space 21 between the anglemembers 16 and 18, the side 42 of the wheel 40, adjacent the plate,being a shallow cavity or recess in the shape of a shallow frustum, thedeepest part of which is adjacent the axis or shaft 38 on which saidwheel is adapted to rotate. Within the frustum-shaped cavity are aplurality of sharp radially arranged blades 44. There may be anysuitable number of blades. For example, there are eight blades, asshown, equally spaced apart annu- Iarly.

These blades 44 are disposed in wedge-shaped or dovetail radiallyextending grooves 46 in wheel 40 and are secured in said grooves bywedge-shaped keys 48. The blades 44 have their sharp edges 50 oppositethe sharp edge 32 ofthe blade 24 and, when respective blades 44 areopposite the blade 24, the bevel 52 is inclined oppositely of thebevel34. As related to the direction of rotation of the wheel 40, thesharp edges 50 lead.

The wheel 40 is spaced axially from the plate 20 by the hub 56 of asprocket-like nut feeding wheel, indicated generally at Y 58, the wheel40 being close at its bottom to the plate 20.

. drop from between the wheel and plate into a chute 60, from which theymay be discharged into a suitable receptacle, not shown.

, Because of the frustum shape of the cavity 42, the space, which istermed herein the cracking chamber 64, between the plate 20 and wheel 40tapers or narrows downwardly, so as to accommodate nuts of various sizeswithin predetermined limits.

Nut feeding wheel 58 is secured by a key or the like, not shown, theinner end of the hub 56 being between the inner ends of the blades 44.

There is a hopper 66 secured to the upstanding arm 67 of an angle member68 secured to the the top of the plate 22 by bolts or the like, notshown. The bottom 70 of the hopper is inclined downwardly toward the nutfeeding wheel or sprocket 58 and there is an opening 72 at the lower endof the hopper through which nuts pass to be received in the respectivespaces or pockets 74 defined by adjacent teeth 76 of the nut feedingwheel, as best shown in FIG. 4. There is one space of pocket 74 for eachspace between adjacent blades'Nuts entering the spaces 74 are' carriedby the feeding wheel 58 to a point where they drop from the spaces 74 tothe bottom of the chamber 64. The nuts will drop as far down in crackingchamber64 as the narrowing of the chamber will permit.

supporting legs 12 which have The blades project from the plate andwheel, respectively, approximately one-eighth of an inch from the facesof said plate and wheel 40, although they may extend any other suitableamount therefrom. The one-eighth inch has been found to be verysatisfactory.

It is to be noted that there is a space 74 for the respective spacesbetween adjacent blades 44 of the wheel. Since there are eight blades44, there are eight spaces 74. Thus, the nuts are fed into the crackingchamber between adjacent blades 44, one nut into the space betweenadjacent blades 44.

The wheel is rotated at a relatively slow speed, approximately 72 timesper minute, although it may be rotated at any other suitable speed. Asthe wheel rotates, the nuts are engaged, successively, by the fixedblade 24 and the oncoming blade 44, as shown in FIG. 6, the sharp edges32 and 50 acting on the nuts with both a cutting and a twisting actionwhich cracks the nuts and frees the kernels, practically all of thekernels being freed whole from the shells. Both the shells and thekernels drop from the cracking chamber 64 between the peripheral part ofthe wheel at the bottom and the adjacent face of the plate 20.

Means for rotating wheel 40 is provided and comprises a source of power,such as electric motor 80, although any other suitable source of powermay be used such as a small internal combustion engine, for example.Motor 80 has a base 82 which is secured to the horizontal part 84 of therear angle member 18 by screws or the like, not shown.

A pulley 86 is secured to the drive shaft of the motor 80 and operablyconnects the motor 80 to a pulley 88 by means of a belt 89 mounted on ashaft 90 having end portions operably mounted in bearings 92 and 94,respectively, bearing 92 being carried by a bracket 96 secured to a topmember 98 of the top of the stand while bearing 94 is carried by abracket 100 attached to the top member 98. These brackets are secured tothe top member 98 by any suitable means such as, for example, screws,not shown.

Shaft 90 has a pinion 102 secured thereon which meshes with a large gear104 on the periphery of the wheel 40. Since the pinion is much smallerthan the gear 104 of the wheel, there is the desired speed reductionbetween the speed of the motor and wheel 40 so that wheel 40 rotates atthe desired slow speed. This, also, provides sufficient power to crackthe hard shells of macadamia nuts.

While the apparatus will automatically accommodate various sizes ofnuts, particularly the sizes encountered in any particular type, it maybe desirable to adjustably vary the size of the outlet opening of thehopper for different types of nuts. For example, it has been found thatthe apparatus will satisfactorily handle walnuts, pecans and other nuts,as well as macadamia nuts, and it has been found advantageous to set thesize of the hopper outlet according to the type of nuts to be cracked.

Means for adjusting the size of the hopper outlet comprises a slide 108which is shifted or adjusted horizontally by means of a crank 110. Athreaded part of the crank works in a screw 111, operably carried by abracket 112 secured to the hopper. Turning of the crank effectsadjustment of the slide to vary the size of the hopper outlet. Once theadjustment is made for a particular type of nut, the apparatus willautomatically accommodate the various sizes of nuts of that type.

The invention and its attendant advantages will be understood from theforegoing description and it will be apparent that various changes maybe made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts of theinvention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof orsacrificing its material advantages, the arrangement hereinbeforedescribed being merely by way of example, and I do not wish to berestricted to the specific form shown or uses mentioned, except asdefined in the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. Nut cracking apparatus, comprising:

A. a pair of sharp edged blades facing each other in spaced relationshipless than the size of nuts to be cracked;

B. means for feeding nuts to be cracked to said blades;

C. means for effecting relative movement of said blades for crackingsaid nuts by cutting and twisting same;

D. there being a fixed plate with one of said blades secured to saidplate at one side thereof, with the sharp edge thereof extending fromthe face of said plate, said blade being a fixed blade; a wheelrotatably mounted adjacent the side of the plate having the fixed blade,the other of said blades being secured to said wheel at the sideadjacent the plate, said blade being radially arranged relative to thewheel and coming into parallel relationship with the fixed blade uponrotation of said wheel;

E. and wherein the wheel is mounted on a substantially horizontal shaft,the side of the wheel adjacent the plate being recessed and having aplurality of radially extending blades cooperable with the fixed bladefor cracking nuts by cutting and twisting engagement therewith by saidblades.

2. The invention defined by claim 1, wherein the facing sides of theplate and wheel define a nut receiving chamber wherein nuts to becracked are supplied for positioning between the fixed blade andrespective blades on the wheel.

3. The invention defined by claim 2, wherein the operating chambertapers downwardly, the lower part of the wheel being spaced from theplate sufficiently to permit shells and kernels of cracked nuts to dropfrom said chamber.

4. The invention defined by claim 3, including a hopper with an outletfor supplying nuts to be cracked to the chamber.

5. The invention defined by claim 4, including means for individuallyfeeding nuts into said chamber.

6. The invention defined by claim 5, wherein said means for individuallyfeeding nuts into said chamber comprises a sprocket having pockets forindividual reception of nuts from the hopper, there being a pocket foreach space between blades on the wheel carrying said blades, saidsprocket rotating in fixed relationship to said wheel.

7. The invention defined by claim 6, wherein the means for effectingrelative movement of the blades comprises means for rotating said wheel.

8. The invention defined by claim 4, including means for adjusting thesize of the outlet of the hopper.

9. Nut cracking apparatus, comprising:

A. a support;

B. a fixed plate attached to said support;

C. an elongated blade having a relatively sharp edge portion, said bladebeing substantially vertical and secured to said plate with the sharpedge portion projecting somewhat from the adjacent face of the plate;

D. a wheel rotatably mounted to said support, said wheel having a cavityin one face positioned adjacent the plate, the diameter of the wheelbeing substantially greater than the length of the blade of said plate;

E. a plurality of radially extending blades carried by said wheel at thecavity side thereof, said blades having a sharp edge portion whichextends from the face of the wheel adjacent to the plate;

F. the wall of the wheel defining the cavity flares from the axialcentral portion of the wheel and the lower part of the cavity defineswith the adjacent face of the plate an operating chamber which narrowstoward the lower end, the periphery of the wheel being spaced from thelower end of the plate to provide space for cracked shells and nutkernels to drop out of the chamber;

G. the blade of the plate and the blades of the wheel being spaced apartbut cooperating in engaging nuts in the chamber to cut and twist saidnuts, cracking the shells and removing the kernels thereof;

H. means for feeding nuts into said chamber;

1. and means for rotating said wheel.

10. In nut cracking apparatus, comprising:

A. a fixed blade support means;

B. a relatively sharp edged blade fixedly secured to one side of thefixed blade support means;

wheel, said blade being rotatable into nut cracking relationship withthe fixed blade whereat the blades are convergent and are closertogether at their ends adjacent the periphery of the rotatable bladesupport means, the nuts being fed between the fixed and rotatable bladesupport means for engagement by the blades for cracking said nuts bycutting and twisting same. 11. The invention defined by claim 10,wherein the side of one of the blade support means to which its blade issecured is substantially flat while the adjacent side of the other bladesupport means is concave with its blade secured at said adjacent side;and one of the blade support means is rotatable.

It l l 'l

1. Nut cracking apparatus, comprising: A. a pair of sharp edged bladesfacing each other in spaced relationship less than the size of nuts tobe cracked; B. means for feeding nuts to be cracked to said blades; C.means for effecting relative movement of said blades for cracking saidnuts by cutting and twisting same; D. there being a fixed plate with oneof said blades secured to said plate at one side thereof, with the sharpedge thereof extending from the face of said plate, said blade being afixed blade; a wheel rotatably mounted adjacent the side of the platehaving the fixed blade, the other of said blades being secured to saidwheel at the side adjacent the plate, said blade being radially arrangedrelative to the wheel and coming into parallel relationship with thefixed blade upon rotation of said wheel; E. and wherein the wheel ismounted on a substantially horizontal shaft, the side of the wheeladjacent the plate being recessed and having a plurality of radiallyextending blades cooperable with the fixed blade for cracking nuts bycutting and twisting engagement therewith by said blades.
 2. Theinvention defined by claim 1, wherein the facing sides of the plate andwheel define a nut receiving chamber wherein nuts to be cracked aresupplied for positioning between the fixed blade and respective bladeson the wheel.
 3. The invention defined by claim 2, wherein the operatingchamber tapers downwardly, the lower part of the wheel being spaced fromthe plate sufficiently to permit shells and kernels of cracked nuts todrop from said chamber.
 4. The invention defined by claim 3, including ahopper with an outlet for supplying nuts to be cracked to the chamber.5. The invention defined by claim 4, including means for individuallyfeeding nuts into said chamber.
 6. The invention defined by claim 5,wherein said means for individually feeding nuts into said chambercomprises a sprocket having pockets for individual reception of nutsfrom the hopper, there being a pocket for each space between blades onthe wheel carrying said blades, said sprocket rotating in fixedrelationship to said wheel.
 7. The invention defined by claim 6, whereinthe means for effecting relative movement of the blades comprises meansfor rotating said wheel.
 8. The invention defined by claim 4, includingmeans for adjusting the size of the outlet of the hopper.
 9. Nutcracking apparatus, comprising: A. a support; B. a fixed plate attachedto said support; C. an elongated blade having a relatively sharp edgeportion, said blade being substantially vertical and secured to saidplate with the sharp edge portion projecting somewhat from the adjacentface of the plate; D. a wheel rotatably mounted to said support, saidwheel having a cavity in one face positioned adjacent the plate, thediameter of the wheel being substantially greater than the length of theblade of said plate; E. a plurality of radially extending blades carriedby said wheel at the cavity side thereof, said blades having a sharpedge portion which extends from the face of the wheel adjacent to theplate; F. the wall of the wheel defining the cavity flares from theaxial central portion of the wheel and the loweR part of the cavitydefines with the adjacent face of the plate an operating chamber whichnarrows toward the lower end, the periphery of the wheel being spacedfrom the lower end of the plate to provide space for cracked shells andnut kernels to drop out of the chamber; G. the blade of the plate andthe blades of the wheel being spaced apart but cooperating in engagingnuts in the chamber to cut and twist said nuts, cracking the shells andremoving the kernels thereof; H. means for feeding nuts into saidchamber; I. and means for rotating said wheel.
 10. In nut crackingapparatus, comprising: A. a fixed blade support means; B. a relativelysharp edged blade fixedly secured to one side of the fixed blade supportmeans; C. a rotatable wheel like blade support means adjacent the sideof the fixed blade support means having the fixed blade; D. a relativelysharp edged blade radially secured to the wheel, said blade beingrotatable into nut cracking relationship with the fixed blade whereatthe blades are convergent and are closer together at their ends adjacentthe periphery of the rotatable blade support means, the nuts being fedbetween the fixed and rotatable blade support means for engagement bythe blades for cracking said nuts by cutting and twisting same.
 11. Theinvention defined by claim 10, wherein the side of one of the bladesupport means to which its blade is secured is substantially flat whilethe adjacent side of the other blade support means is concave with itsblade secured at said adjacent side; and one of the blade support meansis rotatable.